Saturday 15 April 2017

In the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, what pages depict loss of innocence?

In Chapter 19, Mr. Gilmer is questioning Tom Robinson, who is on the witness stand. Mr. Gilmer begins to patronize Tom Robinson by speaking to him disrespectfully. Mr. Gilmer repeatedly uses the term "boy" to address Tom Robinson. On page 265, Dill starts crying and Scout is forced to take him out of the courtroom. Dill explains to Scout why his is crying and says, "It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do em'...

In Chapter 19, Mr. Gilmer is questioning Tom Robinson, who is on the witness stand. Mr. Gilmer begins to patronize Tom Robinson by speaking to him disrespectfully. Mr. Gilmer repeatedly uses the term "boy" to address Tom Robinson. On page 265, Dill starts crying and Scout is forced to take him out of the courtroom. Dill explains to Scout why his is crying and says, "It ain't right, somehow it ain't right to do em' that way. Hasn't anybody got any business talkin' like that---it just makes me sick." (Lee 266) Dill loses his innocence after witnessing the unfair treatment of Tom Robinson on the witness stand. Dill notices the difference in the way Atticus questioned Mayella and how Mr. Gilmer addressed Tom.


In Chapter 21, Judge Taylor reads the verdict of the Tom Robinson case..."Guilty." Scout looks at Jem as the verdict is read and describes his reaction, "his hands were white from gripping the balcony rail, and his shoulders jerked as if each "guilty" was a separate stab between them." (Lee 282) This is the precise moment that Jem loses his innocence. In the following chapter, Jem displays his feelings about the verdict of the case by saying, "It ain't right, Atticus." (Lee 285)


In Chapter 26, Miss Gates, Scout's teacher, is describing Hitler's persecution of the Jews. She makes the comment, "Over here we don't believe in persecuting anybody. Persecution comes from people who are prejudiced." (Lee 329) On page 331, Scout tells Jem that she overheard Miss Gates say negative things about black people as she was leaving the courthouse. Scout asks the important question, "How can you hate Hitler so bad an' then turn around and be ugly about folks right at home?" (Lee 331) This question proves that Scout has lost her innocence because she recognizes Miss Gates' hypocrisy. Throughout the novel, Scout witnesses prejudice but does not elaborate on or question it. Following Miss Gates' explanation of how the Jews were persecuted, Scout has the insight to compare the similarities between the treatment of Jews, to the treatment of African Americans in her community.

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